Shelly Manne and His Men – At the Blackhawk Vol. 1 (LP, Craft)

Shelly Manne, a famous Bepop drummer who worked with Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, also made a name for himself in Hollywood as a sticksman on soundtracks for classic films such as The Wold One and The Man With the Golden Arm. However, he never lost his passion for club shows and recorded this album (the first of four volumes) during a 1959 gig at San Francisco’s Black Hawk Nightclub in the Enderloin district. “The extensive performances,” says AllMusic, “are easily recommended for jazz fans.” To this end, the album opens with a leisurely rendition of Gershwin’s “Summertime” and then shines with the swinging waltz “Blue Daniel”.